Live and Let Love
by awesomekittycat
Summary: Friends are worried. Annabeth's just been dumped, and isn't coping. So people-well-meaning friends-have taken it upon themselves to help her. But friends can only do so much. There are some things that friends don't get-like how she actually loved him, and still doesn't hate him even after what he's doing. Only someone like her, someone who's just gone through a break-up...AU
1. Chapter 1

**This is going to be a few chapters, updates not on any sort of schedule.**

"There's nothing good anymore," Annabeth Chase muttered as she sorted through her movies. There were several missing, probably taken by her friends. Sighing, she picked one and put it in her DVD player. The first preview hadn't even started when the buzzer sounded. She refastened her robe and got up, tripping over several piles of _stuff _before she got to the door.

"Oh, god," She said, trying to close it again. Her friends wouldn't have it—Piper stuck her arm out, blocking the door.

"Annabeth," She said, her voice steady. "Let us in."  
Annabeth shook her head.

"Or," Hazel piped up. "We could go and come back with a therapist."  
Annabeth let go of the door and the two of them came in, looking around disapprovingly.

"Go get dressed," Piper commanded. "I don't care what, as long as it isn't that ratty robe."  
Annabeth did as she was told, but putting on sweatpants and a baggy tee.

When she came back, Piper and Hazel were sitting on her couch.

"Sit down."  
Annabeth sat in her armchair.

"Listen," Piper said, leaning forward. "You've got to stop. I know what it's like, okay? He dumped you, and that hurts. A lot."  
Annabeth looked down, her face burning.

"But if he stops by to pick something up, you think he's going to regret that?"

Annabeth bit her lip, still staring at her hands.

"He's not." Piper's words were sharp. "But you are, and you do."

"And we don't care about him," Hazel added. "In fact, we do the exact opposite. Luke was a jerk. But we care about you, and we're worried about you. You have to stop sitting around and feeling bad."  
Annabeth opened her mouth to protest, but Piper cut her off.

"No. You've given us excuses for almost two months. I don't want to hear any more. We're here to help. Pretty soon, Jason's going to come and take you to look at apartments. I want you in jeans, a nice shirt, and something done with your hair. Hazel and I will clean up here."  
"Why'd you make me change if I was just going to change again?" Annabeth muttered, standing up and going to her bedroom.

"Because I didn't know you were going to change into that."  
Annabeth put on worn jeans and a tank top. She brushed her hair and reported to Piper.

"Huh," Piper said. "We don't have enough time for you to shower. Put your hair up."  
Annabeth obeyed. Part of her wondered why she was letting them push her around, and the other part of her knew that they were right.

"Hello?" A voice called. The girls turned, a smile lighting up Piper's face, a pit of dread settling in Annabeth's stomach.

It was Jason. He grinned at them. "I've found several nice apartments," He said. "Ready?"  
Piper shoved Annabeth forward. "She's ready! Be back here at six, and not a moment before."

Annabeth went to protest—it was barely one o'clock—but Jason grabbed her arm and yanked her out the door.

They saw five apartments, none of which Annabeth liked particularly much, and then ordered take out at a Chinese place. Jason took her back to her apartment.  
The sidewalk was lined with garbage bags, and Annabeth got a queer feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Piper, we're back!" Jason called, carrying a bag of food. "We brought Chinese!"  
Piper popped up from behind the island counter.

"You did? Oh, Jason, you're the best." She got up, brushing her hands off on her pants. "Hazel! Food!"  
Hazel materialized from Annabeth's bathroom, holding another trash bag.

"Finally," She groaned, dumping it by the door. The three of them sat on the counter while Annabeth looked around.

The dishes were out of the sink and into boxes, the floor clean. The trash bags seemed full of clothes—hers, and Luke's.

"Come eat," Piper commanded. "I swear, I've seen sticks bigger around than you."  
"Depends on the stick," She mumbled.

"Okay, so now that the apartment's clean, we're calling in back up to come and help finish cleaning. Then half of us are taking you out. I get to pick out your outfit."  
Annabeth knew protesting was hopeless.

After eating, the door rang again. Piper answered it, revealing Thalia, Frank, Travis, and Katie.  
"You fixed the apartment!" Thalia exclaimed, surveying it. "Well, almost. Where's Luke's trash?"  
"On the curb," Piper replied, closing the door behind them. "Okay, divide up who's here and who's going out with us. Annabeth, come change."  
Annabeth obediently followed. Her closet was half empty, and the clothes that were in it were unfamiliar, the tags still on them.

Piper threw her a longish red top, a black leather jacket, black jeans, and red strappy heels.

"Strappy?" Annabeth asked. "Leather?"  
"Shut up and change."  
Annabeth did, again, as she was told. Piper did her make-up and scrubbed her hair in the sink.

When they emerged, the group clapped. Annabeth grinned and twirled.

"Okay, what'd you decide?" Piper asked impatiently, pulling on her jacket.

"Jason and Travis are going with you, the rest of us are staying here."  
"Okay. Let's go!"  
They whirled out the door, leaving the others to pack up Annabeth's life.

They went to a movie and then decided to go for a walk.

"Annabeth," A voice called behind them. Her veins turned to ice. Piper gave her an encouraging look as she turned.

"Luke," She said, her stomach down at her feet.

"Hey, long time no see!" He said, laughing. His hands were in his pockets, and there was a brunette behind him, looking at her phone, obviously waiting.

"Yeah." Annabeth swallowed, her voice shaking.

"And Piper! Jason, Travis!" Luke grinned at them, but they returned it with frosty glares. "Well," He said, a bit of his confident attitude fading a bit. "I was wondering when I could come by to get my stuff."  
Annabeth raised an eyebrow and hauled her stomach back up. "Whenever. But you'd better beat the garbage trucks, because it's all on the curb right now."  
"What?" He asked, staring.  
She smiled, wiggled her fingers, and turned back around and walked away.

The other three erupted in cheers in front of her building. They were still hollering when they made it to her room, the others staring.

They started shouting, too though, when Piper told them.

Annabeth went pink. Slowly, her friends left, after patting her on the back. Piper even gave her her phone back, though Luke was still blocked.

Annabeth sat on her couch after, surrounded by packing boxes. She was fingering the wine stain Luke had made once, laughing and coming to kiss her.

Suddenly inexplicably furious she stood up and yanked the couch as hard as she could. She yanked it and pulled it down the stairs and out the door, to rest on the curb with the rest of the bags of Luke's stuff. Giving a yell, she kicked one over.

She kicked the rest over in a fit of rage.

Sweaty and swearing, all of her nails broken, she went back into her room and sat on the floor.

_I will not cry, _she commanded herself. _It's been two months. Get a grip._

There was a rattle at the door and it flung open. Luke stood there, his face red.

"Here," He shouted, and flung the key at her. It hit her in the cheek and left it stinging.

"Get out!" She yelled, standing and clutching the key in her fist.

"I'm getting!" He yelled back. "I just wanted to give you that piece of trash, although it doesn't seem you want anything to do with it." He sneered, looking around. "It took you two month to even start to get over me, didn't it? And you had all of your little friends protecting you."  
He stepped closer. "Well, they aren't here now, are they?" He asked softly.

Her hands shook. "Get out."  
"No."

He reached for her and she flinched away. Reaching again, he caught hold of her shoulder and held her, his nails digging in to her skin.

"Let go of me," She said, struggling.

"No. You still want me? You can have me." He stepped even closer, still holding on.

She brought the key up in her hand and stabbed him with it, on the upper arm. He gasped in shock and staggered back.

"Get _out,_" She hissed. He composed himself and smiled at her, taking a step back.

"I'll be back."  
She slammed the door, hoping that he was close enough to hit.

Shaking, she turned, her back to the door, and slid down.

**I know she's OOC, but bear with me until we really get it going. Review, favorite, and follow, please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the feedback! There's going to be texting in this story, starting in this chapter, and it's going to be in italics. The person she texts will be underlined, her not. **

"Annabeth?" A voice called. "Annabeth!"  
Annabeth came out of her room warily. Piper was standing in her living room, hands on her hips.

"Where's the couch?" She asked.

Annabeth shrugged. "Isn't it on the curb?"  
Piper shook her head.

"Luke must've taken it."  
"Okay. Well, which apartment do you want?"  
"Um." Annabeth dug around in the cupboards absently. "None of them?"  
Piper sighed, tapping her foot impatiently on the wood. "Come on, I have a friend who has a cousin in real estate! I can get you a deal!"  
Sighing, Annabeth straightened up. "I really don't care. Wait, no. I do care. I don't want the one across the street from the strip club. Or the one that said that you can smoke, and have pets, and run around naked in the hallways."  
"Okay. That leaves three."  
"Pick a number."  
"Two."

"Piper," Annabeth said with fake flourish. "I would like the apartment on Fifth and Broadway."  
Piper nodded. "Okay. Excuse me, I have to make a call."  
"Buying the apartment?"  
"No," Piper said, dialing with a grin. "I have to withdraw my other four apartment orders."  
Annabeth snorted. It was just like Piper.

"Okay," Piper said in a few minutes, shoving her phone in her pocket. "It's official. You have a new apartment. Jason should be up shortly with the rental truck. And we're buying new furniture. This stuff is ratty."  
They went to Ashley Furniture and bought whole new furniture sets, from living room desks to toilet seat covers to curtains. Piper declared that Annabeth's new apartment was going to be beautiful.

It was beautiful, Annabeth reflected, examining her place a few days later. The furniture was all in place, and after a day of several people unpacking, there were only a few boxes sitting around, full of stuff that Annabeth didn't know what to do with.

She started for the DVD player and stopped. She really didn't want to sit here and watch movies, she wanted to do something.

So she changed into what Piper would call "date acceptable" and went out. She stood on the sidewalk outside and picked a random direction.

Her feet seemed to know where she wanted to go, even if she didn't.

She ended up at her and Luke's old favorite diner. She went in, because she was over him, and stood for a second.

The smell brought back memories—Luke leaning over, grinning. _"__You've got chocolate on your face."_

"_I don't care," She replied._

"_Saving it for later?"  
"No." She smiled at him. "Saving it for you."_

Annabeth blinked and stumbled back. She couldn't eat here, not tonight.

She bumped into someone. A man, with dark hair and laughing eyes.

"Oh, sorry!" He apologized, scooting past her and into the diner.

"It's okay," She gasped, stepping out of the door and letting the cool air wash over her skin.

She sat down on a bench, trying to breath. _This is stupid," _She told herself.

But she didn't get up, not even when she heard a familiar laugh.

"Hey, isn't that your ex fiancee?" A girl asked the laugh.

_No, no. I'm not here. I'm gone. I'm just a random person, sitting on a bench-_

"Oh, yeah. Annabeth!"

She looked up. Luke was standing there, holding the arm of another girl—not the brunette from a few days ago, but a redhead with deep purple eyes.

"Oh. Hi, Luke."

He smiled at her, but not like in the memory—he smiled with teeth, sharp and angry.

"Hi, Annabeth. You here alone?"  
She remembered his sneering voice. _It took you two months to get over me._

"No," She lied almost automatically.

He smirked. "Oh yeah? Who're you here with?"  
"I-"  
"Me."  
The dark haired boy she'd bumped was standing there, his arms crossed over his chest, his feet spread apart.

"You?" Luke sneered. "I bet you're just a random boy that decided that he liked the way she looked, the little-"  
"You're talking about my date," The man said, enunciating clearly.

Luke balked for a second. "I'm talking about a random girl-"  
"Not to you. To you, she's your ex. Now, people usually break up for a reason-" He sidled over to Annabeth, who'd stood, and slid his arm around her waist. "And I think I can tell what that reason is."  
Luke's face was murderous.  
"Come on, Annabeth," The boy said, letting go of her waist and taking her hand. "I don't want to eat here tonight."  
And with one final glare at Luke, he pulled Annabeth along down the street.

They turned a corner and stopped.

"Thanks," Annabeth said, looking up into his eyes.

He shrugged. "It's my duty as a gentleman."  
"Chivalry is dead," She told him, a smile playing her lips.

He looked shocked. "Dead? What? No one told me. Ah well, I'd better go tell that Luke guy we're complete strangers."  
And he turned around.  
It took her a moment to realize he was joking, laugh, and pull him back around. He grinned at her.

"Please don't tell me you have a date somewhere back in that diner," She said as they started walking down the street again, this time not holding hands.

"Nope. I just wanted to get a bite at a familiar place. Then I realized I couldn't do it."  
Her question died on her lips—_why—_as she remembered it wasn't any of her business.

"Good job," He remarked.  
"What?"

"You were going to ask why. I could tell. Just so you know, it was because I shared the place with someone who's gone now."  
"Dead?" She asked before she could stop herself.

He shook his head. "No. Just gone from my life."  
She got it, and he could tell.

"Wait a second," She said after they'd walked for a few minutes in silence. "I've been walking around with a stranger."

Laughing, he offered his hand. She took it. "I'm Percy."  
"Percy. Pleased to meet you, I'm Annabeth."  
"I know." He said.  
And then, as they walked, they talked. Easy, fun talk that Annabeth hadn't experienced in almost a month.

Annabeth's phone buzzed after almost half an hour. It was a text from Piper: _SOS, report back to your apartment IMMEDIATLY!_

"I have to go," She said. His face fell.

"Here," She said, making a split second decision and handing him her phone.

He looked confused. "Um, thanks, but I already have one."  
She rolled her eyes impatiently. "No, put your number in."  
"Really?" His face lit up.

"No, I'm lying."  
"Touchy," He mumbled, typing. Satisfied, he handed it back to him.

"Can I have yours?" He asked.

"I'll text it to you, I'm running late."  
"Okay. Bye," He said, waving. She hailed a cab and got in, her last image of him standing there, hands in his pockets, staring after her.

"What's the matter?" Annabeth asked breathlessly. Piper stood in her apartment.

"Where were you?" She demanded.

"I was out."  
"Oh. I was just worried. Good to know you're okay."

With that, she flopped down and opened a magazine. Annabeth huffed, took her shoes off, and sat down on the chair, her phone out.

She texted her number to the only contact she didn't know, who was under "That Random Boy Who Saved You"

He texted back almost immediately.

_Annabeth?_

_No._

_Meanie. Is the emergency over?_

_My friend was just worried that I was dead._

_Oh. Do you go out and die often?__  
Pretty much. She hates it._

_I'd imagine that you'd hate it._

She laughed, not noticing that Piper was staring at her.

_I probably do._

_Probably? Don't you know?_

_I'm dead. How would I know?_

_Huh. I didn't really think about the dead being dumb._

_Are you calling me dumb?  
__I'm calling dead people dumb. Are you dead?_

_I don't know._

_Well, that's great. I'm sitting alone in a movie theater, texting a girl I just met who doesn't know if she's alive or not._

_You're in a movie theater?_

_Yeah__._

_You're supposed to have your phone off._

_Oops. I'll do that._

_I was kidding._

He didn't reply.

_Percy? I was kidding. _

_Percy?_

Her phone buzzed again.

_HAH I GOT YOU._

_No you didn't._

_Yes, I did. You were all like, Percy, I was kidding! Peeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrcccccyyyyy I'm sooooooorrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy!_

_That's not what I said. Are you deaf?  
__No. The character just said Give me you or nothing at all._

_Okay, I mean blind._

_No. He's wearing a weird red shirt with a gold thing on it._

_PERCY._

_What?__  
You're irritating._

_So I've been told._

_By who?  
__My mother. My friends. My not friends. Random people. _

_Great. _

_Why's that great?_

_It was sarcasm._

_I know._

She shook her head at the phone, smiling slightly.

_Watch your movie._

_No. It's boring._

_Why'd you go to it?  
__I was bored._

_That was a great solution._

_I __know. I'm so bored, I want to leave. I think I'll set the phone to a really loud ringer._

…

…

_Annabeth? You have to text me._

_HAH I GOT YOU! _

_Shush! It's a movie theater._

_You're the one who put it on the ringer._

_No, I mean the yelling._

She laughed again.

_I'm pretty sure that you're the only one who's aware I was yelling._

_Not if I've been reading this out loud at the top of my lungs to the other people in here._

_Then they wouldn't be able to tell if I was yelling it or not._

_You're a pain. Wait, here comes an usher ahh help HELP_

Annabeth giggled.

"Who are you texting?" Piper asked. Annabeth looked up to see her looming above her.

"A guy."  
"A guy?"  
"A guy."  
"A guy!"  
_I got kicked out_ her phone read.

_A guy._

_What?_

_Sorry, wrong conversation._

_You're dead friend?_

_She's not dead._

_You know what I mean._

_I'm not sure I do._

_Whatever._

"Annabeth is texting a boy!" Piper sqealled, dancing around the room. "I'm going to go. Feel free to call him."

Annabeth barely heard her, responding only with a small "Mm-hmm, whatever."

Piper danced her way down the hallway, out the door, and all the way to her apartment.

**Hope you could understand their conversation. Review, fav, and follow!**


	3. Chapter 3

"And so, they all died."  
"That was a horrible story."  
"I know. Fry?"  
Percy and Annabeth were sitting in a diner, eating hamburgers and fries and milkshakes. Percy was attempting to amuse her with his favorite childhood stories, but he seemed to have forgotten them and so made them up.

"Thanks," Annabeth said, accepting one of his fries since hers were gone.

"Okay, how about another? This one's called "The Girl Named Lettuce Who Had Long Hair."  
"Ah," Annabeth said, sipping her shake with an eyebrow raised. This was their sixth date, not including the night a month ago when they'd first met.

"Once upon a time, there was a poor man who had a pregnant wife. The wife was craving some lettuce from the witch's garden, so the man stole some lettuce. Then the witch came and stole their baby whose name was Lettuce and took her to a dungeon that went really deep into the ground with no floors. It was like a giant pit or something. So the day they got there, the witch hooked Lettuce's hair onto a hook by the door. Each time Lettuce's hair grew, she'd be an inch closer to the floor. And then she finally made it. There was a prince at the bottom, because _duh _and he fell in love with Lettuce even though she had a weird name. Together, they climbed her hair and then chopped it off when the got to the top so the witch died. They lived happily ever after and released lanterns into the sky."

Annabeth giggled to herself. Percy got very upset if you laughed at his story telling skills.

"That was great. Except, you know...why was the prince there?"

Percy shrugged. "I don't know. My mother never told me."  
"Oh, sure."  
"Don't oh sure me! She..." His voice trailed off, his face whitening.

"Percy? What's-" Annabeth twisted in her seat to see what he was looking at.

A redheaded girl, green eyes and freckles. Normal.  
But Percy was staring at her like he couldn't breath.

_I shared this place with someone who's gone now, _his voice echoed in her head. And the dots connected.

"Come on, Percy," She said, putting false cheer in her voice. He glanced at her and back at the redhead. "You know that's not how it happened. Honestly, I don't think you have any storytelling skills at all."  
His attention snapped back at her. "Excuse me?"  
"Did you fart?"  
He opened his mouth and closed it, his eyes flicking. She raised her eyebrows meaningfully at him.

"No, I didn't, and you know it."  
He reached across the table and grabbed her shake and took a drink out of it.

"Blerg," he said, making a face. "Did you backwash again?"  
Annabeth shrugged innocently. "You know I can't help it."  
"Yeah, well, it's also gross to have your own spit back in-"  
"Percy!" Rachel squealed. Percy glanced up.

"Oh, hi. Rachel."  
Rachel smiled brilliantly and kissed him on the cheek. At least it looked like it was on the cheek. Rachel's hair had fallen, and Annabeth couldn't see.

But when she pulled away, Percy's face had gone from white as a sheet to red as a tomato.

"You must be Rachel," Annaebth said, putting on a nice smile.

"And you are?"  
"Annabeth. You and Percy dated, right?"  
"Oh, you know. It was loose. Like, hook up with a random guy and no problems, right?"

The look on Percy's face didn't say 'loose".

"But, wow," Rachel laughed. "I mean, a blonde! I didn't know Percy liked dumb—I mean blondes."  
Annabeth forced herself to remain calm. "Well, you know what they say about gingers," She laughed, glancing pointedly at Rachel's legs. "Can't keep 'em closed, if you catch my drift."  
Rachel narrowed her eyes.

"I think I do."  
"I mean, what kind of pill do you use? You haven't had a _baby _yet, right?"  
"Okay!" Percy leaped up, grabbed Annabeth's wrist, and yanked her up and out of her seat. "It was great to see you, Rachel. See you later."

They sped out of the diner and down several streets until Percy decided to call a cab.

"Annabeth," He said, almost spitting. "What—what?"  
"I was-"  
"This right?" The driver interrupted. Annabeth glanced out the window to see her apartment building.

"Yeah. Percy, I-"  
"Bye, Annabeth."  
Annabeth opened her mouth, then closed it resignedly. "Bye, Percy," She replied, quiet.

She entered the building and disappeared into an elevator.

"Where to?" The driver asked.

Percy shook his head. "Nowhere," He gasped, handing the man some folded bills and climbing out of the cab. "Nowhere."  
He managed to sneak past the doorman and into the elevator before he realized he didn't know which floor Annabeth lived on. Desperately, he decided to try all of them.

The first three floors were empty. The fourth had blonde hair disappearing behind a corner.

Percy yanked the doors open and hurried out, down the hall and around the corner.

_Slam._

A door closed before he could see which one she'd gone into.

He swore, then decided that it had come from the left side.

Picking a door at random, he knocked.

No answer.

The next one was opened by an old man with spectacles.

"Sorry, sir. Wrong door."  
The last one was answered with a feminine yell to "Be right there"

Percy curiously peered into the peephole. It was all black.

"Hey!" He heard. The door opened, and Annabeth was glaring at him. "What are you doing? You know it doesn't work that way-"  
He pushed her slightly and stepped into her apartment, closing the door behind him.

"What-" She sputtered.

"I'm sorry," He said, breathless for some reason. "I didn't—I shouldn't have been rude to you."  
She stared at him, mouth open slightly.

"It took me a little while to realize that you...that she..."  
"That what?" She suddenly wouldn't look at him  
"That you mean more to me than she does," He blurted.

She shook her head helplessly. "It didn't seem like that."  
"Annabeth-"  
"I"m sorry, Percy." Her eyes met his, and he realized that they were shining with tears. "I can't—not tonight. I'm sorry."  
Numbly he nodded and grasped blindly at the doorknob behind him.

"I'm sorry," He repeated.

Then he was gone, leaving Annabeth to sink to the floor alone.

**Sorry for the lateness! Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Piper came early the next morning. Early enough to find Annabeth sitting at her table, staring at her hands. Alone.

"Hey," She said. "How are you?"  
"Fine."  
"You don't sound fine."  
Annabeth kept looking at her hands.

"Is this about Luke again? I swear, you need to move on. That jerk was two months ago-"  
"Piper," Annabeth snapped. "Stop. I've listened and listened to you and the others trash Luke, and you don't seem to realize that I'm right in _front _of you, and that I loved him. Okay?" She'd slid off her stool at some point, glaring at Piper. "It's tiring. It's annoying. And it hurts."  
"I-"  
"And no, for the record," Annabeth spat, heading for the door. "It isn't about Luke. Lock the door behind you."  
Then she was gone. Piper stared at the door, her mouth open.

Annabeth had left her coat and purse, which had her wallet, phone, and keys in it. Blowing her hair out of her face, she walked a couple of blocks over to an internet cafe. There were several computers open, so she chose one and opened Google.

_Percy Jackson, _she typed. Not for any real reason—she was just bored.

There were a lot of choices, so she narrowed down her search until she got to a work page.

Turned out that he worked as a lifeguard at several hotels and public pools in New York.

But better yet, after more digging, she got his address.

So she went. Not for any real reason—she just wanted to see where lived.

It was only a short walk from the cafe, and then she was standing in front of a tall, gray building with a jagged fire escape lining the wall.

Annabeth swallowed her nervousness and walked in. There was a sign for the stairs, which she took, up to the fifth floor.

His apartment was at the very end of the hall—5E.

On impulse she tried the door.

It was unlocked.

Holding her breath, Annabeth stepped into his apartment.

The lights were off. It was dead silent. Annabeth peered left and right carefully, and seeing no one, crept to the door to her right. She tripped slightly on a jacket, lying on the floor, and peeked into the room.

It was empty. It was a bedroom, and it was empty.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she stepped back and found the light switch and flipped it on.

His apartment was messy. There were clothes strewn everywhere, dishes in the sink. At least there wasn't anything growing on them.

Suddenly the phone rang. Annabeth jumped about a mile, then followed the sound into the kitchen. There was a phone, connected to an answering machine, sitting on the counter.

"Hey, you've reached Percy Jackson," His voice said from the machine, slightly mechanical. "I'm out right now, or I don't like you and don't want to chat. Either way, if it's a weekday, I'm at work, so call me back after two, or leave a message at the tone."  
The machine beeped. "Hey, Percy. Um, my name's Piper Mclean, I'm Annabeth's friend. She's just stormed out, so if you could tell me if you see her, that would be-"  
Annabeth reached over and unplugged the machine.

Satisfied, she swiveled around and surveyed the apartment again. It was messy, and Percy wasn't going to be back until two. She had about five hours.

But it was four and a half hours later when the door opened and shut. Annabeth froze and sunk back into the corner of the counter, trying to disappear.

_No, no no. You're not supposed to be back for a half hour, at least, you can't be-_

"Annabeth?"

Percy was staring at her, in his apartment. Her sleeves pulled to her elbows, and dirty and dust all over her. She was holding a frying pan in one hand and a collander in the other. The rest of his cupboards was spread out all over the floor.

"Annabeth?" He asked again. "What—are you doing?"

She swallowed and blinked several times, lowering her hands. "Cleaning," She said lamely.

"Uh-huh."  
"It's—I was—the cupboards were dusty, so I had to take everything out to clean them, and I'm trying to remember your system to put them back."  
"Oh." He leaned against the counter. "Is there a reason you're...I dunno...in my apartment?"  
"Piper was being annoying?" She stated it like a question.

"Oh. And so you unplugged my answering machine?"  
She followed his gaze. "Um. Yeah. She was calling—it can still take messages...I think."  
Biting her lip, she dropped the dishes on the floor with a clang and turned her attention to the machine. "It should...if the phone's on..." She didn't hear him come closer, but suddenly he was—standing right by her elbow, watching her fiddle with the machine.

Abruptly she dropped it and put the plug back in. It buzzed for a second.

"Um...Were you expecting an important call?" She turned her face up to him.

He blinked. "You..."  
"Should I leave?" She lowered her eyes, leaving him staring at her eyelashes, casting shadows across her cheeks.

"You don't have to," He managed. Then he cleared his throat. "Um, I mean...if Piper's annoying..."  
The phone rang.

"It worked?" Piper's voice exclaimed. "Oh, sorry. I'm Piper, Annabeth's friend. Have you seen her lately? I haven't, so I'm worried-"  
Percy grabbed the phone and answered it. "Piper? Are you the one who's been calling a bunch?"  
Annabeth was close enough to hear the reply.

"Yeah! Annabeth, she was mad at me earlier, and she left really fast, and I just wanted to know if you've seen her."  
"Seen her? Yes, Piper. I've _seen _her. Done a bit more than that. Now please stop calling so we can go back to it. Thanks."  
Percy hung up the phone and unplugged it. Annabeth was staring at him. Gently, he lifted his finger and closed her mouth.

"She's got a dirty mind," She told him. He shrugged.

"Worse for her."  
Annabeth let out a short, dry laugh which ended quickly. "I just...I wanted to say I'm sorry...for a lot of things." She looked up at him in earnest. "For being rude last night, and for barging into your apartment and cleaning—or, actually making a huge mess, and for the restaurant yesterday, with Rachel-"  
But Percy was shaking his head. "No," He said. "You don't have to be sorry. I'm the one who—I shouldn't have been mad in the first place. You did me a favor."

She stared at him, her heart thumping in her chest. She was sure he could hear it—hell, he could probably _feel _it, that's how close he was.

"Percy..."  
He was breathing rapidly, his chest rising and falling. His eyes were locked on hers, barely blinking. And she was scared.

"What?"  
"I don't—I'm not-"  
She broke off, trying to find words for the wordless.

_I want-_

_No._

_But..._

_Luke._

_He's not Luke._

_And you thought Luke was your forever, right?_

_Percy isn't Luke!  
Right. And in months when he turns into Luke? When he does what Luke did?_

_Percy wouldn't...  
That's the part of you that thought Luke wouldn't ever hurt you._

"Oh, hell," She said, looking away from Percy as an image rose in her mind. Blinking, she willed the tears to go away.

"Annabeth?"  
The soft voice did it. She sank to the floor and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Annabeth, what did I-"  
She shook her head. "It's not you," She choked. "I'm sorry. It's me. And—I just—Luke's-"  
He smiled gently. "Sorry. I know how it is—Rachel and I..."  
"Sorry." Annabeth laughed around her tears. "I'm tired of apologies. Do something you won't be sorry for, ever."  
He stared at her, then gently, gently, unpeeled her arms from herself and pulled them carefully to him. In a second, he was holding her tight to him, her legs still spread out behind her. They were so close, so tight, she could feel his body through her shirt and his sweatshirt—the beat of his heart, the quick rise and fall of his chest. She realized after a moment that her head, resting between his neck and shoulder, fit there. And wrapping her arms around his shoulders felt fine, normal.

"I'm not sorry," He mumbled into her hair.

She shook her head into him. "Neither am I."  
**:D Kind of odd chapter, but please review and tell me thoughts! **


	5. Chapter 5

Avoid Piper. Wait until the shock died off, and then wait more, because then Piper would bombard questions until she got tired, or hungry, or Jason called.

And clean up the apartment. Annabeth kicked a bag, laying on the floor, while making her way to the living room. She and Percy hadn't said much last night, just exchanged quiet good byes and Annabeth had left. There had been no signs of Piper in her apartment, so she hoped that could be avoided for a while.

The buzzer rang. Annabeth brightened, remembering the breakfast rolls she'd ordered from across the street. Tugging her shirt down to cover her exposed legs a bit more, she turned the deadbolt and pulled the door open.

And didn't even get a chance to shove it closed again, a chance to shove him out of the way.

Because he barreled into the room, shoving her and kicking the door closed with his foot. She fell, in her surprise, and scrambled to back up, back away from his scarily cold blue eyes.

"Luke—you-" She gasped as he reached down, balling her shirt in his fist and using it to yank her up. "Don't-" He smashed his mouth with hers, kissing her deeply and angrily. Annabeth struggled, but he'd moved his arm to hold her tight to him. His other hand...she couldn't feel it. Yet.

And then she heard it, the telltale click of an IPhone taking a picture. He let her go and grinned, nastiness twisting his features.

"How'll your boyfriend like this?" He taunted, waggling the phone at her. She gasped and lunged for it, but he held it just out of arm's length.

"Don't you dare!" She spat. He only laughed.

Shaking with rage, Annabeth slapped him across the face, so hard pins and needles rushed through her hand. As he staggered back, she snatched the phone out of his hand and raced into the kitchen. She could hear his growl as she searched desperately and then snatched her biggest, heaviest magnet from the fridge. It took her a second to get it off the fridge, and she could feel his hand on her hair. But she slammed it onto his phone and held it until he did grab her hair and yank her around.

She cried out, rib cage smacking into the counter top. He turned to her, seething. She dropped the phone on the tile, hopefully cracking it.

He got three inches away and the buzzer chimed again. He stopped, eyes flicking from her to it.

"Go," He commanded with a jerk of the head. Startled, she scurried to the door and yanked it open again, all the while hoping for Piper or Hazel or Percy.

It was her breakfast rolls.

"Thanks," She said, desperately snatching them and slamming the door shut.

"Yum," Luke said, behind her.

She dropped the rolls and threw an elbow back. He took it with a grunt and grabbed her shoulder, spinning her to him, all the while the delivery girl banging on the door.

Luke propelled her to the couch and she clawed his hand, trying to get him off. He didn't flinch, but the banging on the door ceased suddenly and she could hear voices.

"You wiped my phone," Luke hissed, shoving her down. He bent down closer and grabbed her jaw with his hands, his long nails digging into her face.

The buzzer went again, followed by ruthless banging.

"Go away!" Luke yelled. The knocks stopped immediately.

_Come back, come back, _Annabeth pleaded in her head. Luke bent even closer, his breath going into her mouth.

The door slammed open, making Annabeth jerk her head back in surprise. His nails scratched her.

Percy stood in the doorway, Piper and Hazel hovering anxiously behind him. He glowered.

"Go away," Luke said easily. "This is our matter."  
"Really?" He growled.  
"Yes," Luke replied. "Can't you see?"

With that, he bent back to Annabeth, going to kiss her. Almost hysteric, she heaved her feet up and hit Luke's chest as hard as she could. He stumbled back, colliding with the coffee table. His eyes glowed with anger, going back to her, to make her pay for it.

He never made it. Mid-swing, Percy caught his fist.

"You touch her again, you'll answer to me," He said firmly, his words underlined with anger and warning.

"You have no right," Luke hissed. "She is mine."  
"She's not," Percy said, his arm starting to shake, just slightly, from holding Luke.

"She _is!_" Percy let go and Luke swung at him, making Percy duck. Luke shoved his shoulder out of the way and made it to Annabeth, grabbing her wrist and pulling her, hard, to the floor. Crying out, she kicked up between his legs. He fell back, eyes wide and astonished.

"Hands up!" Three police officers swarmed into the room, guns at the ready. Luke snarled but did as he was told and earning a pair of handcuffs. They tcuffed Percy, too, because of his defesive position.

"Annabeth!" Hazel and Piper rushed to her side. "Annabeth, they got him."  
Annabeth tried to breath. In, out, in, out. "I know."  
"He's going to jail. You're testifying against him." Piper leaned forward, her hands clasped around Annabeth's. "No more night street meetings or morning visits. This is ending."

**Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

The mirror was fogging up. Annabeth reached forward and swiped it, leaving a smear to see her face in.

She tried to ignore her shaking hands, her wide eyes. Tried to ignore the dread and the fear settling in her stomach as words replayed in her mind, over and over.

_You tell anyone, I'll make you wish you'd never been born. _And then a demonstration.

She hated herself for it, hated the weakness and the fear.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled her sweatshirt on and went back into her living room.

Piper instantly shot up, her face full of concern.

Annabeth hated that, too.

"You okay?"  
Wordlessly, Annabeth held up her wrist, with slight bruises from Luke pulling her.

Piper shook her head. "I'm sorry—I shouldn't ask that...I meant..."  
"You don't have to apologize, Pipes," Annabeth interrupted, her voice heavy. Hazel was watching now too. "And you don't have to treat me like I'm going to break. I'll be alright. I've had worse."  
Piper flinched, horror splaying across her features.

"How long to you think they'll hold him?" Annabeth asked, wanting to ignore the whole subject.

Hazel's eyes widened. "Lu...Luke?"  
Annabeth shook her head, fast. "No. Percy."  
Hazel relaxed a bit and shrugged. "No idea. I mean, the trial's in...what is it, a couple of days?"  
"They want to get it over with."  
Hazel nodded. "They won't hold either of them that long, but probably until tomorrow."  
Annabeth sighed. "I'm going to go see him. Percy," She added at their faces. "Not Luke."  
_Never again Luke, _she vowed to herself.

"Do you want a ride?" Piper asked, worry now evident in her voice.

"I'm not a doll," Annabeth replied flatly. "I can catch a cab."  
And then she walked out, making sure to grab her purse and phone.

She didn't know how to get to the police station, but the taxi driver did, apparently. He drove her there cheerfully, promising to wait while she "did her dirty biz".

"Hi, you just got in two new men, right? One of them Percy Jackson..."  
The police officer checked his records. "Yeah, him and-"  
"How much to let him out now?" He typed in commands. "Never mind, I'll pay it. Here." She held out her credit card. The officer raised an eyebrow.  
"You sure, miss?"  
"Positive."  
He shrugged and ran her card. "I'll go grab him, then," He said, getting up and handing her her card.

Annabeth bounced anxiously from foot to foot while she waited. Other people milled around glanced at her, whispering and giggling.

"Annabeth."  
She whirled around. Percy, standing alone, looking scared and uncertain. She ran to him and hugged him, as hard as she could, around the neck.

"Thank you. Thank you so, so much."  
She pulled away for a second and looked him in the eye. He didn't hold her like she might break; rather, he held her like she was going to break _away_.

"It's okay," He said with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry you had to...you know." She gestured vaguely. "Do this."  
He shrugged. "I like to keep my horizon broad."  
And then she laughed, a breathy, probably unattractive laugh.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" Percy asked after a few seconds. "Or, you know, we could stay here. Whatever's fine."  
"I have a cab waiting outside," She told him. "We can go back to your place. Or mine. Although," She added as an afterthought. "Piper and Hazel are there."  
"We can go to mine."  
She nodded, a bit shyly, and let go of him to take his hand and lead him outside.

"You done your dirty biz, then, miss?" The driver grinned at her.

"Yes, sir." And she rattled off Percy's address.

"That reminds me," Percy mumbled as they set off. "How'd you get my address?"  
She blushed. "I, um, looked it up. It's on your work website."  
He laughed. "Well, at least you didn't follow me home."  
She laughed to at that. "At least I didn't."

His apartment was dark and when he flipped the light switch, exactly as she'd left it: Pots and pans strewn across the kitchen floor, the clothes that had been in his room folded in neat piles.

"You didn't clean up," She said, surprised. "I mean...you didn't..."  
He shrugged, the tips of his ears red.

"No. It's just—I didn't really want you're..."  
"My what?"  
He shook his head. "Nothing."  
"Oh."  
So they stood there awkwardly, staring at each other. Annabeth finally cleared her throat.

"Do you want to do something?"

"There's usually something good on TV about now."  
"Okay."

So they sat on his couch and channel surfed. She could see him watching her, so finally so turned to him.  
"What?"  
He appeared mystified. "Huh?"  
"You're staring."  
"I just...maybe we should talk."

She crossed her arms, turned of the TV. "Fine."  
Nothing.

Not a single word came out of his mouth.

"This was your idea," Annabeth snapped, losing her patience.

"I don't know exactly how to bring it up," He snapped right back.

"Go ahead and say whatever you like. 'Hey, Annabeth, did Luke ever sleep with you when you didn't want to? Did Luke ever hurt you physically?' Because, if you want to know-"  
One second he was on the other side of the couch, staring at her, and the next he was right next to her, his legs pressed against hers and his hand over her mouth.

"What I _want," _He interrupted. "Is for you to stop acting like it doesn't mean anything. Because I don't care if it's normal to you. It's not for me, and it's not for anyone else. So _stop."_

She blinked in surprise. He slowly, slowly removed his hand and settled in his spot, the majority of his legs still touching hers.

How to react to something like that? When someone just came out and told you-  
"You're thinking too hard," Percy said, his eyes drilling into her.

She lifted the corners of her mouth in an almost-smile. "It's kind of hard to turn your brain off."  
He tilted his head. "Sleeping?"

She shook her head. "Then the dreams come."  
"Oh."  
And then he was shifting again, closer and closer, his face inches from hers. "Maybe you can't turn you brain off," He murmured. "But you can definitely distract it."  
And then he was kissing her.

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

A couple of days later. Annabeth was in court, watched by Piper and Hazel and Percy and dozens of other people.

They brought Luke and had him sit, his lawyer on one side. Annabeth refused to look at him.

The judge started at exactly noon.

"Luke Castellan is on trial for abusing his...fiancee?"

Annabeth's lawyer, Matt Lock, nodded.

"Alright then. Mr. Catellan?"

Luke stood up, doing his best to look innocent.

"I never hurt Annabeth except for the other night. She did ruin my phone and taunt me, and my temper got away."  
"Liar!" Piper yelled through cupped hands. "Dirty, rotten-" Percy grabbed her hands and forced them to her lap, slapping one palm over her mouth at the same time.

"Sorry," He said.

The judge shook his head.

"Anyways. Ms. Chase, would you like to testify?"  
Annabeth nodded and rose. They had her swear and then she was in the stand.

Luke was glaring.

_Remember what will happen, _his eyes said.

"I'm tired of being scared," She spat at him. "I'm tired of _you._"

"Pardon?" The judge peered down at her.

"Never mind."  
She straightened her spine, glanced once at Percy for support, and then stared right into Luke's eyes.

"Luke would hit me and rape me. He did it for two months straight."  
Luke sneered. "I would never-"  
"Never? Oh, that's rich."  
"You always wanted me to get taken, although I would've if you'd asked-"  
"I did ask!" She was yelling now. "I asked and pleaded and begged! I'm done begging!"  
He was furious. "Annabeth!" He shouted, slamming his hand on the table.

She couldn't help it. She flinched, a whole body shying away, face twisting flinch. Her arms went up to protect her head, and her wrist bared.

Luke drew back, his face white. "I would never-"  
Piper stood up again.

"I have a question," She said cautiously. "Annabeth, you had a sprained ankle and a broken collarbone. Was that-"  
Annabeth nodded.

Piper sat down.

"Who's she?" The judge asked.

"My best friend."  
The judge called Piper up to the stand and asked her to describe what had happened the other night.

"Um, well I had been worried about Annabeth, so I went with Hazel to her apartment. Percy was there. When we got to her door, a delivery girl was there, trying to get in. She said that Annabeth hadn't paid her, and when we questioned her further, she said that there might've been a man inside. So we knocked on the door and then Luke yelled at us to go away. I called the police then, because I know how Annabeth feels about Luke. Percy broke the door down and Luke was bent over Annabeth, about to kiss her. Percy told him to get away but Luke ignored him. Annabeth kicked him in the chest and he went flying. When he got up, he looked ready to murder her. He started to punch her, but Percy caught him. They tussled for a second and Luke ended up grabbing Annabeth's wrist and yanking her to the floor. Then the police came."  
The judge questioned her a bit and then the delivery girl. Finally, he called a break.

"Ms. Chase, if I may inquire with you for a second," He said. She nodded and he spoke to her in low tones.

"Yes, that's fine," She agreed when he was done.

"I'm going to go get a snack downstairs," She told Piper and Percy. "You can stay here."  
Luke followed after, saying he had to go to the bathroom.

Annabeth was trying to choose between grapes or strawberries when he barreled into the room, slamming the door behind him.

She whirled around. "Luke!"  
"I told you," He hissed, shoving her into the wall and holding her there with his body. "I told you if you ever told anyone, I would make you pay."  
"Stop it-"  
He released her for a second but only to grab her around the throat.

"I would think," She choked out. "That you'd be smart enough to not do this in a courthouse."  
He sneered. "This isn't even it. I will make you pay-"  
"You know, the judge recommended I try these treats," She gasped. Black spots were crowding her vision. "He specifically said this room, not the closer snack room. Why is that?"  
Luke dropped her throat as the door opened and security guards swarmed in. Annabeth fell to the floor and took huge gulps of air.

"Annabeth!" The guards had all disappeared and Percy was in front of her, stroking her back. "What were you thinking?"  
"I was thinking-" She coughed. "I was thinking that they'll get him."  
He shook his head, a sweet smile on his face. "So you let him choke you."  
"Only a little bit."

And then he picked her up and held her.

"They'll get him for sure, Annabeth," He mumbled into her hair. "For sure."

Luke was convicted of abuse and sentenced for years. Annabeth was free.

"Hey!" Percy shouted as they exited. "Let's go on a date!"  
Annabeth considered it for less than a split second. "Okay."

**The end! Last chapter! Review, please!**


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